Isles House Committee queries Maalim Seif

BY MWINYI SADALLAH

18th May 2013

Zanzibar�s First Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad

Zanzibar’s First Vice-President Seif Sharif Hamad has pledged that the defective wheat flour impounded at the Malindi port will be destroyed by June 15 this year.

The vice-president said there had been a delay on the removal of the  700-ton consignment of flour due to a tug-of-war between the importer and distributors, saying every side claiming it wasn’t responsible.

Addressing a standing committee for top government officials at Migombani area, Maalim Seif said the two sides had agreed to cooperate with the Zanzibar and Union governments to bring the matter to conclusion.

Ministers responsible for Environment Fatma Abdulhabib Fereji from Zanzibar and Dr Terezia Huvisa from the Union government and Zanzibar Health Minister Juma Duni Haji, visited the area where the flour is kept and agreed to destroy it.

 On their part, members of the newly formed standing committee led by vice-chairman Saleh Nassor Juma urged the executives to cooperate with the committee.

Earlier, the first vice president said he would work closely with the committee in order to dispose of the defective wheat flour – which was imported from Turkey by a prominent Zanzibar businessman, Said Bopar.

Meanwhile, Second Vice President Seif Ali Iddi has said most of the state-owned manufacturing industries had collapsed due to theft and lack of accountability.

He made the remarks during the inauguration of the Safari drinking water factory and Amaan industrial area in Zanzibar.

Mr  Iddi said although the first phase government did much to establish manufacturing industries, the contribution to the national revenue remained low due to poor performance.
He said most of the employees in the defunct industries used most of their time attending to social gatherings such as weddings and funerals.

Ambassador Iddi called on prospective local investors to take active part in establishing manufacturing industries so as as to reduce dependence on imported commodities.

The minister of state in the President’s Office responsible for Finance Economic affairs and Development planning, Omar Yusuph Mzee, said the manufacturing industry was the only way to resolving the Isles development agenda.

It is estimated that some 7,000 youth, trained at a level a University Degree and diploma levels, were unemployed, according to statistics released earlier this year.
 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN